Ikon Pass in California
Prices and access checked October 14, 2026 directly against each pass operator’s own site.
The Ikon Pass covers more of California than any other pass: Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Bear Mountain, Snow Summit and Snow Valley, all unlimited with no blackouts on the full pass, plus limited days at Sierra-at-Tahoe. The adult pass is $1,529; Ikon Base is $1,099 with holiday blackouts.
It is the only major pass with Southern California terrain, and the only one covering Mammoth — which has the longest season in the state.
What the Ikon Pass covers in California
Ikon’s California resorts are spread across three regions rather than clustered like Epic’s. That is the pass’s real advantage: whether you drive north from Los Angeles, east from the Bay Area, or up US-395, there is Ikon terrain within reach.
Palisades Tahoe
Olympic Valley. 3,600 acres, 2,850 feet of vertical, and the Base to Base Gondola links it to Alpine Meadows for one enormous connected area.
Access: unlimited, no blackouts on the full pass.
Mammoth Mountain
Eastern Sierra. 3,500 acres, 11,053-foot summit — the highest in California, and the longest season, often running into June.
Access: unlimited, no blackouts on the full pass.
June Mountain
Twenty minutes north of Mammoth. Quieter, cheaper, and kids 12 and under ski free.
Access: unlimited, no blackouts on the full pass.
Bear Mountain & Snow Summit
Big Bear Lake, about two hours from Los Angeles. Snow Summit is the cruiser mountain; Bear Mountain is SoCal’s park mountain. One ticket covers both.
Access: unlimited on both the full Ikon Pass and Ikon Base.
Snow Valley
Running Springs. Bought by Alterra and added to Ikon; ski terrain tends to open later in the season than Big Bear’s.
Access: unlimited on the full pass.
Sierra-at-Tahoe
Highway 50, south of the lake. 2,000 acres and 2,212 feet of vertical.
Access: limited days — up to 5 on Ikon Base.
Not sure where these mountains actually are? All 28 California ski areas are plotted on the California ski resort map.
Ikon Pass prices for 2026-27
Read off ikonpass.com on October 14, 2026, after the increase that took effect following October 8. Both adult tiers went up $80.
| Pass | Age band | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ikon Pass | Adult 23+ | $1,529 |
| Ikon Pass | Young Adult 13-22 | $1,129 |
| Ikon Pass | Child 5-12 | $499 |
| Ikon Pass | Ages 0-4 | $199 |
| Ikon Base Pass | Adult 23+ | $1,099 |
| Ikon Session (2-4 day) | Adult | from $369 |
Ikon Session is the one figure here we cannot state flatly. The $319 price this page carried was read on August 29, 2026 and is unconfirmed since; ikonpass.com now lists Ikon Session as a from price starting at $369, which is a different framing rather than a straight $50 increase. Price the configuration you actually want on ikonpass.com before budgeting.
Ikon vs Ikon Base — is the cheaper one enough?
Base saves about $430. What you give up:
| Ikon Pass | Ikon Base | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (adult) | $1,529 | $1,099 |
| Blackout dates | None | December 26-30, 2026; January 16-17, 2027; February 13-14, 2027 |
| Palisades, Mammoth, June | Unlimited | Unlimited outside blackouts |
| Big Bear (Bear Mtn + Snow Summit) | Unlimited | Unlimited outside blackouts |
| Snow Valley | Unlimited | Unlimited outside blackouts |
| Sierra-at-Tahoe | Limited days | Up to 5 days |
Base is the better buy for most weekend skiers
The blackouts are three holiday windows totalling nine days. If you were never going to fight Highway 50 traffic on December 27 anyway, you are paying $430 for days you would not have skied.
Pay for the full pass if you ski holidays or live in SoCal
Christmas week and Presidents’ Day are exactly when a lot of people take ski trips, and those are the days Base shuts out: December 26-30, January 16-17 and February 13-14, nine days that swallow the entire stretch between Christmas and New Year. Every California resort on Ikon is unlimited on both tiers, so the blackout calendar is the whole decision — if those nine days are when you can actually get away, the full pass is the only one that works.
Ikon vs Epic for a California skier
Ikon covers more of the state; Epic covers the South Shore of Tahoe, which Ikon does not touch. The honest test is geography, not acreage.
| Ikon | Epic | |
|---|---|---|
| California resorts | 6 unlimited + 1 limited | 3 unlimited |
| Tahoe North / West Shore | Palisades Tahoe | Northstar |
| Tahoe South Shore | Sierra-at-Tahoe (limited) | Heavenly, Kirkwood |
| Eastern Sierra | Mammoth, June | None |
| Southern California | Big Bear, Snow Valley | None |
| Adult price | $1,529 ($1,099 Base) | $1,169 ($869 Local) |
Full breakdown of both, plus the passes that cover the Central Sierra, on the California ski pass comparison. Epic’s side is covered in the Epic Pass guide.
Ikon Pass in California — frequently asked questions
Which California resorts does the Ikon Pass cover?
Six with unlimited access on the full pass: Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Bear Mountain, Snow Summit and Snow Valley. Sierra-at-Tahoe is included on limited days. That spread — Tahoe, the Eastern Sierra and Southern California — is the widest California footprint of any pass.
How much does the Ikon Pass cost for 2026-27?
As of October 14, 2026 the full Ikon Pass is $1,529 for adults 23 and over, $1,129 for ages 13 to 22, and $499 for children 5 to 12. Children 4 and under are $199. Ikon Base is $1,099 adult. Both adult tiers rose $80 in the increase that took effect after October 8, 2026. Ikon Session, a 2-to-4-day pass, is now listed from $369. ikonpass.com publishes no further increase date for this season.
What is the difference between Ikon and Ikon Base?
Base costs about $430 less and adds blackout dates: December 26-30, 2026, January 16-17, 2027 and February 13-14, 2027 — nine days in all. In California the only access difference is Sierra-at-Tahoe, capped at 5 days on Base. Palisades Tahoe, Mammoth, June Mountain, Big Bear and Snow Valley are all unlimited on both tiers. If you only ski weekends outside the holidays, Base covers the same California mountains for meaningfully less.
Is the Ikon Pass good for Southern California?
It is the only major pass that is. Bear Mountain, Snow Summit and Snow Valley are all on Ikon, and all three are within about two hours of Los Angeles. Epic has no Southern California terrain at all. All three are unlimited on Ikon Base as well as on the full pass, so the cheaper tier costs you no SoCal access — only the nine blacked-out holiday days.
Does the Ikon Pass cover Mammoth Mountain?
Yes, unlimited with no blackouts on the full Ikon Pass. Mammoth is the headline California resort on Ikon: the highest summit in the state at 11,053 feet and the longest season, regularly spinning lifts into June. June Mountain, 20 minutes north, is included too.
When is the deadline to buy an Ikon Pass?
The increase has already happened: adult prices went up $80 after October 8, 2026. As of October 14, 2026 ikonpass.com publishes no further increase date for this season. Sales have historically closed in December, so there is still a cut-off ahead even without an announced price step — check the site rather than trusting the pattern.
Can I get a refund on an Ikon Pass?
Ikon offers a full refund if the pass has not been scanned by January 15, 2027, and 50% if it has been scanned once before that date. That is unusually generous for a season pass and worth factoring into an early purchase.
Once you have picked a pass
Find the mountains it covers, then somewhere to sleep near them.
California ski resort mapWhere to staySnow chainsGear guidesSnoCal is not affiliated with, and earns no commission from, any ski pass operator — none of them run affiliate programs. We do earn a commission on lodging and gear booked through links elsewhere on this site. Pass prices change on published deadlines; the figures above were verified on October 14, 2026 and are worth re-checking before you buy.